Tag: Southern Authors

Martian Mondays: The Martian Chronicles – Chapter Eight: The Settlers

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In chapter eight, “The Settlers”, Spender returns to the rest of the expedition. He carries a gun and shoots six of his crew-mates, saying he is the last Martian. Captain Wilder approaches under a white flag and has a short discussion with Spender during which the archaeologist explains that if he manages to kill off the expedition it may delay human colonization of the planet for a few more years, possibly long enough that the expected nuclear war on Earth will protect Mars from human colonization completely.

Although he opposes Spender’s methods, Captain Wilder somewhat agrees with his attitude towards colonization and wishes for him a humane death. He returns to the others and joins them as they pursue Spender, and Wilder shoots Spender in the chest during the fight before he can be killed by anyone else. The captain later knocks out the teeth of Parkhill, another expedition member, when he disrespectfully damages some Martian glass structures while “target practicing.”

Many of the characters of the Fourth Expedition — Parkhill, Captain Wilder, and Hathaway — re-appear in later stories.

“The Settlers” is the first story that displays a central theme of The Martian Chronicles. It acts as a commentary on the Western frontier of the United States and its colonization, using the colonization of Mars as the analogy.

Like Spender, Bradbury’s message is that some types of colonization are right, and others are wrong. Trying to recreate Earth is viewed as wrong, but an approach that respects the fallen civilization that is being replaced is right.

In the before mentioned version, this short story describes the first settlers coming to Mars, the Lonely Ones, the ones that came to start over on the planet. It first appeared in The Martian Chronicles.

A 1997 edition of the book advances all the dates by 31 years. “The Settlers” date advances from 2001 to 2032.

Book Reports, Essays and Term Papers

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Examination Blue Book

My late mother used to say I wanted to be a writer since I was three years old. I’m not sure that’s accurate. However, I cannot ever remembering not wanting to write.

Mom says I told stories even before I could write. I don’t know about that. I remember how excited I was when in the fifth grade at Jefferson Avenue Elementary School in Seguin, Texas. Mrs. Englebrock, which was my teacher, had us read books and then write a story telling what we read. I thought that was the neatest thing. Read the book, write a report about what we read, and if we were one of the lucky ones, we could stand before the class and read our report!

I liked that part as all the kids were looking at me I wanted to make the book sound so interesting every boy and girl would be dying to check it out of our little school’s library. I seemed to do a good job of my report writing. I would always mention something I just knew those girls would like. At the same time, I found something I knew the other fifth-grade boys would enjoy.

I used to take some of those book reports and turn them into plays that I performed with my brother and the neighborhood kids. It was such fun.

When I was in college and graduate school, I use to select professors by the criteria if they gave an essay test using examination blue books or multiple choice tests. I found the multiple guess test as I called them boring. An essay on the other hand allowed me to show what I knew. I enjoyed doing the research or term papers as well as doing book reports. If a professor gave essay tests, required two or three book reports and made you do a term paper, I would sign-up for the class. It was as if I had won the trifecta at the race track!

Mother was correct about one thing; I do like to write.

One Great Way to Write a Short Story

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ETBUI am a “second-rate” short story writer.

Why would I say that? “Exhibit A” shows the answer. It is a certificate documenting my second-place finish in the short story writing contest of the East Texas Christian Writer’s Conference. I have never won a short story competition but have finished in second place.

I have written and even sold short stories. Over the years, I have entered short story contests. I am still seeking that elusive “first place” in a short story contest.

In my quest to win a contest, I have become a student of the short story form. Here is what I call “One Great Way to Write a Short Story.” It begins with planning.

PLANNING IS ESSENTIAL

I would never start writing a short story without at least a rough outline to tell me where I am going.  I recommend jotting down the answers to a few questions. The answers provide the framework for where the story is going.

The first step in writing a short story is a planning exercise. Plan your short story in advance by answering questions in three areas:

  • The subject – Who is the main character? What is the problem?
  • The story –What is the character’s motivation to solve the problem? What actions occur to solve the problem?
  • The resolution – What are results of the character’s acts to resolve the problem? What change does the character undertake because of that action?

HOW I DO IT – STEP BY STEP

  1. The Character

I decide about whom I am going to write. You have one central character in the story. It might a soldier returning home. It could be about an astronaut. It might be about a businessperson. The reader will identify with that person.

  1. The Problem

What is it that the main character struggles with that he or she may not have an instant need to resolve? It is a problem the character has had for a while, but has not had an immediate need to solve. An example would be if I were writing about a businesswoman who obtained an executive position using a falsified resume. She may not have an immediate need to deal with the issue.

  1. The Motivation

Why does the main character decide to solve the problem? I’ll use the businesswoman with the falsified resume as an example.

It could be that she has accepted a position on the board of directors for a prominent community organization like the United Way. The local media decides to do a feature story on her background. In this case, I need to put in the appropriate backstory – her claiming to have a prestigious Ivy League graduate degree when she had dropped out of college before obtaining her undergraduate degree. Now she is in a position that requires an accredited four-year college degree as well as MBA. She realizes she is about to be found out with embarrassment to herself, her employer, and maybe she could even have to resign.

  1. The Action

What does the main character do to solve the problem? What does she do to correct the situation? Maybe she confesses to her company’s president or she may try to resign quietly from board of directors for a prominent community organization for personal reasons trying to avoid being exposed and hoping it will just go away.

  1. The Result

What happens because of the character’s attempt to solve the problem? Maybe she tells the president and he fires her. The employer takes legal action against her demanding restitution from her for fraudulently obtained wages. He takes her to court and wins. She is required to make restitution of tens of thousands of dollars and has her reputation destroyed.

  1. The Change

Perhaps at this point the character struggles financially, loses her large home and country club lifestyle. Maybe her friends desert her. She is unable to get a job because of her lying on the resume. She could go back to school and complete the education she had claimed.  Maybe she becomes an advocate for ethical business practices.

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

  • Remember the main character needs a good reason for what they are doing. They need to act consistent to who they are.
  • You need to set up every incident in the story. If the character obtained a high position using a falsified resume, make sure you set this up by doing a flashback or remembrance where she is sitting typing the resume and then clicks submit thinking no one ever checks a resume.
  • If you bring it up you must conclude it. This refers to conflict in the story. If you have any conflict, you need to resolve it prior to ending the story.

Once you have planned your short story you will be able to write it. My guess is by following these simple principles you too can write a short story. Moreover, just maybe it will be “second-rate” or even better.

The article is written by: Jimmie Aaron Kepler. I originally appeared in the September 17, 2014 “Author Culture” Blog at: http://authorculture.blogspot.com/2014/09/one-great-way-to-write-short-story.html 

 

 

Summer in Dallas

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Dallas, Texas USA

Howdy, this is Jimmie Kepler. I don’t know where the readers of my blog live, or what their weather is like. I live in Dallas, Texas. Dallas is in the southwestern part of the United States of America. It is summer in Dallas.

Long time residences and native Texans refer to this time of year as “the blast furnace”. Why do we call it that? It is because the weather is usually as hot as if you were near a blast furnace.

Speaking of the word hot, it is not used by the weather person on the television or radio until the temperature is over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. When we are just in the 90 degrees range, they say it will be warm today. My guess is where you live 90 degrees is considered hot. It isn’t that way in Dallas or north Texas.

Most days when I get off work, if the temperature is below 100 degrees I do not turn on my car air conditioner. The exception is when I am just sitting in traffic.

To stay cool in our homes in the summer we run fans and air conditioning. My house is normally cooled to 78 degrees with a fan running to keep the air moving.

My day job considers the warm weather. We are allowed to wear shorts to work twelve months a year. On the warmest days, you will find me in khaki shorts and a Hawaiian shirt. It is very casual business dress.

Why not leave me a comment about where you live and the weather you have in July? I would love to hear from you!

March 7, 2014

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Bluebonnet RoadThis Day in Texas History:

It is Friday March 7, 2014. It is the 66th day of 2014. There are 299 days left in the year.

Did you know the Bluebonnet is the state flower of Texas. If you are from Texas of course you know that. If you’re not from here, but got here as fast as you could, you may know that. If you wish you lived here now you know.

Way back in 1901 the Texas legislature adopted the Bluebonnet as the state flower. While it is very pretty, there just weren’t enough of them around for all to enjoy. The solution? In the 1930’s the Texas Highway Department started putting Bluebonnet seeds along our roadways. It’s no accident the blue flowers are everywhere.

A typical spring sight in Texas is children standing or seated among the state flora with mother or father snapping their picture. Some families go to the same spot every year and have a history of their youngins growing up in the land of the Bluebonnets.

To Protect and To Serve (Part Two):

Yesterday I shared I was pulled over by my local police as I was driving to work. The officer said the light was out over my license plate. They checked my driver’s license, state inspection, and car insurance. When I arrived at Starbucks, I checked. The lights over the license plate work, were on, but were very dim.

I replaced both light bulbs after work yesterday. My local Auto Zone Store was very helpful. They sold me some super bright LED bulbs. With tax they were over $10.00. They showed me how to remove the bulbs and replace them. Now it looks like there is a spotlight shining on my license plate.

Miss Benita:

I refer to my bride of over 39 years as Miss Benita. Her real name is Benita Beatrice Breeding Kepler. As a southern gentleman I call her Miss Benita. No, I didn’t watch too many episodes of the original Dallas TV show back in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Remember Jock Ewing calling his wife and J.R.s mother Miss Ellie? My grandfather addressed my grandmother this way. I thought is showed great respect. I still do.

Miss Benita was diagnosed with cancer back in December 2013. They found a malignant tumor. They were not able to remove all because it had spread into the lymph node.  On March 5 Miss Benita received the results of tests that show if the cancer has spread elsewhere. I’ll quote her post on Facebook, “Back from oncologist. Good report. No more cancer found. No treatment needed at this time. Will see him again next month.”

March 6, 2014

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General Santa Anna (Public Domain)
General Santa Anna (Public Domain)

On This Day in Texas History:

It is Thursday March 6, 2014. It is the 65th day of 2014. There are 300 days left in the year. On this date Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna recaptured San Antonio on March 6, 1836, after a thirteen-day siege; the Mexican army suffered an estimated 600 casualties. Of the official list of 189 Texan defenders, all were killed.

To Protect and To Serve:

I was pulled over by my local police this morning as I was driving to work. The officer said the light was out over my license plate. They checked my driver’s license, state inspection, and car insurance. When I arrived at Starbucks, I checked. The lights over the license plate work, were on, but were very dim. I will need to get that checked.

It is a mjaor surprise when flashing lights appear in my rear view mirror. I immideately loooked at my speed. I was ten miles per hour under the speed limit. I had my seat belt fastened. I wondered why they pulled me over. I knew it wasn’t to wish me a good morning. Oh well. so goes life.

March 2, 2014

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Writing in Obedience
Writing in Obedience

Today in History: 

It is Sunday March 2, 2014. It is the 61st day of 2014. There are 304 days left in the year. On this date in 1939, Roman Catholic Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli was elected pope on his 63rd birthday. He took the name Pius XII. He served until his death in 1958.

Crazy North Texas Weather:

Yesterday the high temperature here in north Texas was a near record 84 degrees. As I type at 3 PM Dallas, Texas time the temperature is a cold 25 degrees. We have thunder sleet and freezing rain. We are expecting a low temperature tonight of 10 to 12 degrees with wind chills below zero. That is a far cry from the over night low of 60 just two night ago. Why mention the weather? This is a good example of the weather in north Texas.

Sunday at Church:

My tradition on Sunday is to attend Sunday church and Bible fellowship class. Today we had a surprise. Our pastor, Dr. Jack Graham, shared the resignation of Todd Bell, the churches long-time worship pastor. Todd had been with the church over twenty years.

Leaving church an ice covered windshield that required scraping greeted us. The bitter north winds made the ice removal a major chore. I felt like I was freezing to death.

The Tech Guy:

While I am typing this, I am listening to Leo Laporte, the Tech Guy. You can see and hear Leo at http://twit.tv/show. I have been listening to him on Twit since 2005 and on the Screen Savers on the old Tech TV since the late 1990s.

Book Review – Writing in Obedience: A Primer for Christian Writers

I finished reading the book “Writing in Obedience: A Primer for Christian Writers” by Terry burns and Linda W. Yezak.

Terry Burns and Linda W. Yezak’s book “Writing in Obedience: A Primer for Christian Writers” is an excellent work, packed with information I wish I had available before I started my writing career over thirty years ago. Divided into three parts the book begins with a section aimed at Christians writing fiction. It is valuable for the Christian who writes fiction, as well as the Christian fiction writer. They do a good explaining receiving a call from God to write Christian fiction versus being a Christian, who writes fiction. They help us look how much Christian content is right, and Terry makes an excellent point of how to present the content.

Part two contains how-to advice for the beginning Christian writer. The chapter on finding help is an example of the sound advice given.

Part three is a much-needed examination of how to be published with option available in 2014. Terry Burns gives some of the best advice in the book. In this section, he says yes, if we write it we should submit it.

Using the techniques where first one and then the other tells their story or take on a subject works. I appreciated how they labelled who was telling writing. I strongly recommend the book for the new or established Christian author.

The Prairie Dogs Have Coal Miners’ Helmets with Lights and Other Stories

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The Prairie Dogs Have Coal Miners’ Helmets With Lights and Other Stories

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The Prairie Dogs Have Coal Miners' Helmets With Lights and Other Stories
The Prairie Dogs Have Coal Miners’ Helmets With Lights and Other Stories

Today is Saturday, February 8, 2014. It is a Saturday. After a week of cold miserable weather, we had a reprieve this afternoon. The sun came out after spending the morning behind clouds. Temperatures that started at freezing made their way to 52 degrees at 4:47 PM. After days with temperatures staying below freezing it felt like a heat wave.

My Saturday was similar to many others. I awoke later than usual today. I slept until 7:15 AM. Instead of heading for coffee at Starbucks, I had breakfast at home as well as my morning caffeine. I watched some of the Olympics opening ceremonies on DVR while I ate a bowl of Cheerios with dried cherries. I remained at home until my wife departed for work.

After she left I loaded my laptop and myself into my Ford Taurus. I headed to my favorite Starbucks for a morning of editing and formatting. I had a tall blonde roast coffee. I spoke with my friend Joanne and her husband. She is a local bank branch manager I see most mornings when I stop in for coffee.

I put the last touches on the formatting of my book “The Prairie Dogs Have Coal Miners’ Helmets With Lights and Other Stories”. It is available on Kindle February 9, 2014 in the United States, India, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Japan, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and Australia.

Maybe the hardest part of the book was the dedication. I dedicated it to:

  • My wife Benita B. Kepler, who permits me to pursue my passion of writing.
  • My poet friend and beta reader Karen Vandiver Garrison for her encouragement.
  • My writing coach Linda Lee Tritton and the Wholehearted Writing Group: Marcie Aber, Sabrina “Sam” Chapman, Amy Koetter, Talya Tate Boerner and Storm Ricamore. I told them thank you for their beta reading and suggestions. I have grown to love them like family.

At 1:30 PM, I left Starbucks. I went to the gasoline station and filled my car up with gas.

Next, I returned home. My wife was still at work. My kitty greeted me. She was looking for tuna. I ate leftover meat loaf to her disappointment.

I retired to my home office and did more editing while watching/listening to The Seekers 25th Anniversary Reunion Concert from the early 1990s.

About 5:45 PM I moved from my office to the kitchen. I prepared pork chops, corn, green beans and pineapple for the evening meal. I had it ready when my wife came home from work about 6:45 PM.

Following dinner, I watched the conclusion of the Olympics opening ceremonies on DVR. I then retired to the kitchen. I put up the clean dishes in the dishwasher. I next rinsed the dinner dishes and placed them in the dishwasher. I washed the pots and pans in the sink. I made a pitcher of iced tea as well as taking up four trays of ice. I do not own an ice maker other than four ice trays.

I read the short story “Dehydration” by Grayson Queen. It was very interesting. It deals with the premise of what happens if the earth’s water supply becomes non-potable.

I also finalized arrangements for going to see the Dallas Symphony and Bernadette Peters tomorrow. The show is after church. It is at 2:30 PM.

Well, it’s about time for bed. In the name of shameless self-promotion, buy my book “The Prairie Dogs Have Coal Miners’ Helmets with Lights and Other Stories”. It’s available on Kindle at http://www.amazon.com/Prairie-Miners-Helmets-Lights-Stories-ebook/dp/B00IBRLH74/.

Photo Credit: The cover image use is with permission under Creative Commons Share-Alike License CC-BY-SA 3.0. Joe Ravi is the photographer.

Reflections of Christmas Present and Past

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It’s Wednesday, December 25, 2013, Christmas Day. It’s a beautiful, sunny day in north Texas. The temperature is 52.4 degrees Fahrenheit. The time is 1:48 PM. I have a load of laundry going.

I’m sitting in my home office listening to “Carpenter’s Gold: Greatest Hits”. The current song playing is “Superstar”. I’m listening to it play on a ten-year old Hewitt-Packard Pentium III Personal Computer. The computer’s operating system is Linux Mint 16 “Petra” Cinnamon. It is a complete Open Source computer.

I feel very at peace today. My wife Benita is in her bedroom resting in the recliner. She had major surgery for an intestinal malroation on December 19. We brought her home last night late. The surgery went well. They found a tumor during the surgery. They were no able to remove all of it. We do not know the pathology yet.

It is just the two of us here. We have three grown children. Our oldest son will turn 37 years old in less than a month. He is single, never married. He lives about ten miles from us. He is at home sick with a fever and bronchitis like symptoms. Our second son is 33 years old. He lives with us. Today he has gone to my parents to celebrate Christmas. Both of my parents are living. Dad was born in 1927. Mother was born in 1933. She had a kidney transplant in 2011. Our 29 years old daughter Sara and her family have also gone to my parents to celebrate Christmas.

Sunday, December 15th, we celebrate Christmas with our daughter’s family and oldest son. This morning we exchanged gifts with our second son and each other. I got Miss Benita an upgrade on our cable television service for Christmas. She’ll be home for at least six weeks recovering from surgery. Better television options will help her pass the time.

I received wonderful gifts. First was a gift of five pairs of black socks. Second was a DVD of the six season of “The Big Bang Theory” television show. Third was a gift set of Old Spice deodorant and after shave.

This is Miss Benita and my thirty-eighth Christmas as husband and wife. We’ve celebrated every Christmas together since 1972.

Benita and her family helped make wonderful Christmas memories. Her family would have a big dinner on Christmas Eve. Her extended family would attend. The house would be full of cousins. After dining we would retire to the living room and spend hours exchanging gifts. We would go from the youngest to the oldest. I remember the joy Miss Benita had buying the gifts, wrapping the gifts and seeing the excitement on the recipients face.

Christmas 1974 was only three days before our wedding. The wedding over shadowed Christmas.

Christmas 1975 was exciting and melancholy. I had just graduated from college. Three days after Christmas we departed for active duty in the United States Army. Our little car was loaded and we headed to Fort Benning, Georgia.

Christmas 1976 found Benita 8 months pregnant. She flew from Seattle, Washington to Dallas for celebrate Christmas. I joined her a few weeks later and departed a week early returning home.

Christmas 1977 was one of my favorite and I think Benita’s least favorite. We celebrated it in Washington State. It was the first time she ever had no been with her family for Christmas. She was so sad and depressed it quenched my excitement of establishing our own traditions. It was the first with our son Kris.

Christmas 1978 had us back in Texas. I had come off US Army active duty. It was celebrated with family. 1979 and 1980 were also celebrated with family as I was in seminary with us living near our folks. I would graduate and we would move just a few weeks later to Atlanta, Georgia as we went to serve our first church congregation.

Christmas 1981 had us in Georgia. I was overwhelmed by all the Christmas parties and celebrations at church. We attended over 30 Christmas parties. During the next 16 yeas our Christmas schedule would be as full. We drove two miles north on Christmas Day to Johnson City, Tennessee to see friends from US Army days. They had snow. The trip only served to make Miss Benita miss her family.

Christmas 1982 had us on the move. We moved from Georgia to Bogalusa, Louisiana. We moved just before Christmas and came to Texas for the holidays.

Christmas 1983 had us vacationing in frigid north Texas. It was another extend family Christmas.

Christmas 1984 was the third one where we had it in our own home. Our daughter had been born 6 weeks earlier.

Christmas 1985 – 1994 were spent with Benita’s family. I often had to work, but she would pack up the kids and go to Dallas area for the holidays. Most of the time I would join them for a least Christmas Day.

Christmas 1995 was different, somber. It was my last in ministry. The Wednesday before Christmas I was told the new incoming preacher did not want me as his education minister. I was forced to make a change. It was the first Christmas after Benita’s dad had died.

Christmas 1996 was the darkest economically in our marriage. I was failing to earn enough money for expenses.

Christmas 1997 – 1998 had me working Christmas Day. Traditions changed as we still did Christmas a Benita’s mom’s, but it was different. Less of the cousins attended.

Christmas 1999 – 2003 were still with the extend family. 2003 was the last at Benita’s childhood home.

Christmas 2004 had Benita’s mother celebrating it out-of-state with her youngest daughter. Our daughter Sara and her future hubby drove her to Tennessee.

Christmas 2005 found Benita’s mom near death from a stroke. She would pass away a few weeks later. We did more and more with my parents at Christmas.

Christmas 2006 – 2012 had us doing Christmas with my parents.

Christmas 2013 is the fourth we have celebrated at our home is 39 years.